National’s Gas and Oil man forgets to declare $178000 – why it’s not malicious

ByMartyn Bradbury

National MP ‘mistakenly’ failed to declare $178k in donations

National MP David MacLeod has been stood down from his select committee roles after failing to properly declare nearly $180,000 in donations to his electoral campaign.

David MacLeod is widely seen as National’s oil and gas man. His job as the MP for New Plymouth is to bring back gas and oil exploration and we know he has real power because in barely months of being announced as the National Party candidate he gained hundreds of thousands in donations.

Donations he didn’t go onto declare.

Here’s why this isn’t malicious.

His mistake is probably exactly that – a mistake. I say that because National, ACT and NZF are so expert at soliciting donations for legislative changes within the existing rules that there is no reason whatsoever to cheat or trick anyone.

The horrific truth is that current legal system has so many loopholes to exploit by the Right that they don’t need deceit.

Where MacLeod will be embarrassing National is the highlighting of how venal he is as a vassal for oil and gas…

Fast track committee not undermined by MP’s donation – National

The National Party insists there has been no conflict of interest in David MacLeod’s chairing the committee considering the contentious fast-track bill.

The New Plymouth MP received $10,000 from a donor with shares in a company hoping to benefit from the legislation.

MacLeod was yesterday stood down from his role as chair of Parliament’s Environment Select Committee for failing to properly declare donations to his election campaign.

Phil Brown — a New Plymouth businessman with substantial shares in seabed mining company — donated $10,000 to MacLeod.

Trans-Tasman Resources mining project wants to mine ironsands off the coast of Taranaki and hoped to get the green light under the Fast-track Approvals Bill, once it is passed into law.

The legislation is being considered by the Environment Select Committee, which MacLeod has chaired since December.

…this is why National are angry, it’s important to keep the sleepy hobbits of muddle NuZilind out of the picture when it comes to fast tracking powers that are feeding their venal vested interests and what MacLeod’s fuck up has done is remind sleepy hobbits they are being manipulated for National Party donors.

Some on the right will claim this is no different from the Left being reliant on Union money for donations, but Unions want better work conditions for everyone and better pay for everyone, Union interests are altruistic where as Right wing donor interests are utterly selfish and focused on breaking environmental safeguards.

What should outrage people isn’t that he forgot to declare, but that this buying of our democracy for corporate polluter interests is all legal in the first place!

MacLeod should face legal action for not declaring his donations, but the way our democracy has been manipulated by big donors should stun and outrage you well beyond his sloppiness.

Unfortunately you are all still too bitter that Jacinda had the temerity of saving 20 000 lives to admit that you fucked up by voting National and allowing these corporate interests dictate policy.

This is all on you as National voters now.

 

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27 Comments

  1. Prosecutors will have to prove intent, did Macleod try to conceal and deceive for pecuniary gain. Is he…the bag man.

  2. MacLeod is either ignorant or arrogant. The most startling aspect to this sordid affair is the bland assurance that there is no conflict of interest. The spin is that it’s perfectly normal for politicians to receive donations from people who are going to receive benefit from the decisions those politicians make. This is the new version of transparency. You pay your money and you get what you want.

    1. Labour get support from unions in the same way as National get theirs from businesses and individuals what is the difference.
      The plus from this scenario is the mistake was picked up,and report on by the National Party so proving we have a very open parliament.
      I note Luxon has reacted straight away and stood their MP down in stark contrast to the Greens .

        1. The left are supposed to be kind and caring but you and your mates want a mistake made as a teenager to follow the person for the rest of his life. I wonder what skeletons you have buried your are you perfect in every way.

      2. Trevor do you actually always believe what you write? How you can compare union organisations to rich self interested people is beyond me. Sure unions have some bad apples but their very existence is not based on me me me.

  3. There are questions to be asked someone said on radio NZ this morning. Where did the money go? Are they allowed to – like they are in the US – keep it and use it to pay for anything they like? That’s how Trump’s legal bills are being paid apparently. Or are they supposed to donate it to a party fund of some sort? Christmas piss up? Genuine questions – I haven’t got a fucking clue.

  5. Labour get support from unions in the same way as National get theirs from businesses and individuals what is the difference.
    The plus from this scenario is the mistake was picked up,and report on by the National Party so proving we have a very open parliament.
    I note Luxon has reacted straight away and stood their MP down in stark contrast to the Greens .

    1. Yes Trevor,
      So what’s your point in trotting out this old Chestnut.
      Unions are providing a service to their members.
      National Party MPs are supposed to provide a service to the country but it seems there view of what country means is limited to those that donate.
      Act is on the gravy train as well, MP Advising Seymour on Pharmacy has business interests in the Pharmaceutical industry.
      Latest on Nats, funding for Bill English inquiry was funded up to $500000 from emergency housing fund. How fucking ethical is that. Stealing from the poor to pay your mates to write a report to fit the question.

  6. Untill the electoral commision has control of ALL campain spending we will be subject to more corruption.Each electorate should have a set amount to spend on campaining which is divided equally between all candidates .No other money can be donated to parties from private people or business .That way there is no way for lobby groups of rich pricks to buy MPs without it being transparent .

  7. The left are supposed to be kind and caring but you and your mates want a mistake made as a teenager to follow the person for the rest of his life. I wonder what skeletons you have buried your are you perfect in every way.

    2. Trevor yes we are kind and caring and we don’t approve of anyone being beaten up with a bed leg especially someone who has been elected to parliament who is being paid by my tax dollars. Yes Trevor maybe some of us have done things we regret however we don’t put ourselves on pedestals and get elected to parliament pretending to be on a law and order ticket blaming Labour as soft on crime.

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